Plot Synopsis

At first I assumed 8mm 2 is one of the latest in a new genre of Hollywood film - the straight-to-DVD sequel to a moderately successful movie. But when is a sequel not a sequel? The Velvet Side of Hell (2005) has absolutely nothing to do with the 1999 film, 8mm which starred Nicolas Cage. When The Velvet Side of Hell was completed, the studio decided not to waste any money on a theatrical release, so it sat on the shelf gathering dust until Sony bought the distribution rights, renamed it 8mm 2, and released it straight to DVD.

Joel Schumacher's gory8mm (1999) followed the descent of the rather ordinary Tom Welles (Nicolas Cage) into the sleazy and sadistic underground world of hard-core pornography. Welles was a private investigator hired to determine whether a mysterious 8mm snuff film was genuine. His investigation led him to Los Angeles, where he teamed up with failed musician Max California (Joaquin Phoenix), who earned a living by working in a pornographic bookstore.

However, 8mm 2 does not have any of the same actors, director, or theme. Indeed, it doesn't even have an 8mm film. The title is merely to attract people into picking it up off the DVD rental shelf.

8mm 2 opens with a young lawyer, from the wrong side of the tracks, David (Johnathon Schaech), enjoying a sexual fantasy set in a courtroom. He eagerly tells his glossy and beautiful poor-little-rich-girl fiancé Tish (Lori Heuring) about his fantasy. David and Tish are soon to be married, and are on their way to a weekend vacation at a luxurious hotel in Budapest.

Wishing to give her hubby-to-be a wild buck's night of her own, after a bit of dirty-dancing in a Budapest nightclub Tish invites a gorgeous local woman, Risa (Zita Gorog) to join them in their hotel room. Needless to say the three of them are soon making "the beast with two (make that three) backs".

Returning home, David is surprised when he receives an envelope filled with photographs of the . . . err, threesome. The couple are being blackmailed for big US dollars, and they cannot turn to the authorities as they must avoid scandal. It seems that Tish’s wealthy father enjoys a lofty political position as a US ambassador in Hungary, and is a potential candidate for the US Supreme Court. Thus David and Tish absurdly decide to solve the mystery themselves, which leads them on a journey into the sleazy Budapest red light district and the world of strip clubs and pornography.

Audio

Set in Hungary, there are a few heavy accents, but the dialogue quality and audio sync are generally excellent on the default English Dolby Digital 5.1 audio track.

The atmospheric score is credited to Tim Jones, and it suits the film well.

The surround sound mix is quite reasonable. The rear speakers are used at times to help carry the score and provide ambience, such as during the night club scene at 11:40 or the passing train at 41:45.

The subwoofer is utilised as required, such as in the night club scenes, and the ominous deep rumbles at 97:44.

Audio Ratings Summary

Dialogue

Audio Sync

Clicks/Pops/Dropouts

Surround Channel Use

Subwoofer

Overall

Extras

For a straight-to-DVD release, I was surprised at the quality of the extras.

Menu

Animated with audio

Featurette - Making Of - Part 1 (24:21)

Featurette - Making Of - Part 2 (23:51)

Strangely divided into two parts, the Making Of is a genuine documentary looking at the film's production. It features interviews with the director and the two leads, as well as plenty of behind-the-scenes footage and anecdotes. In particular, the Director J.S. Cardone discusses the aims of the film, and the challenges, technical and otherwise, of filming with a limited budget, and very limited shooting days.

Trailers

D.E.B.S.

Deuce Bigalow 2

Layer Cake

Single White Female 2

Trois-The Escort

Wild Things 3

R4 vs R1

NOTE: To view
non-R4 releases, your equipment needs to be multi-zone compatible and usually
also NTSC compatible.

8mm 2 has been released on DVD in Region 1 as an R-Rated and Unrated version. Apparently the R2 and R4 is the same as the R1 Unrated edition. There is no real difference then, apart from the PAL/NTSC transfer, and the trailers included.

Summary

8mm 2 desperately attempts to be an erotic thriller, but fails badly. Instead, it is merely erotic melodrama, lacking any real suspense.